Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data export/import technique of an image communication apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral or a fax machine.
Description of the Related Art
Generally, image communication apparatuses store various types of data associated with communication. Such data includes, for example, address book data including address information of fax machines and other electronic apparatuses as well as data for network settings. If an image communication apparatus is used by a plurality of users, the address book data can be managed by each user. In such a case, it is possible to cause the image communication apparatus to manage the address book data divided into address book data which can be disclosed to and shared by a plurality of users and address book data used by specific users.
As one method, when a new image communication apparatus is added, the address book data is distributed from the existing image communication apparatus to the new image communication apparatus or via an external apparatus. When the address book data is distributed, import/export of the address book data is performed between the image communication apparatuses. However, not all the image communication apparatuses support the management of address book data in each user. For example, even if the image communication apparatus which exports the address book data supports the management of the address book data for each user, the image communication apparatus which imports the address book data may not support the management of the address book data for each user. In such a case, the address information in the address book data which is limited only to specific users may be disclosed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-81578 discusses an invention of an image communication apparatus configured to export address book data only when an image communication apparatus which imports the address book data is capable of managing the address book data for each user. Since the import operation is permitted only when the address book data can be managed for each user, it is possible to prevent the address information of the address book data which is not available to all users from being disclosed.
Meanwhile, imported/export of address book data is not always directly performed between the image communication apparatuses. For example, importing/exporting of the address book data is also conceivable, in which one image communication apparatus exports the address book data to a transportable media and the other image communication apparatus imports the exported address book data from the transportable media. This method is especially useful when the address book data stored in one image communication apparatus is used by a plurality of image communication apparatuses. However, it is not possible to directly apply the image communication apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-81578 to this case, in which the image communication apparatus exporting the address book data determines whether the image communication apparatus importing the address book data can manage the address book data for each user.